Why I am a Clippers Fan posted by Michael S Thornton

I admit-- I started rooting for the Clippers back in the 80s because I felt sorry for them. C'mon, I know I am not the only one....some of you felt sorry for the rag-tag bunch who showed up from San Diego to play in that ancient LA Sports Arena, hoping to leverage off of the successful Lakers franchise. Sure, we knew that Sterling was a cheap jerk, but hey, our very own Bill Walton used to play for them, he of UCLA fame and that improbable Blazers championship, and well, Norm Nixon was a favorite of mine when he was on the Lakers. Forget the fact that after the Lakers got rid of him that the Lakers got better, you still had to feel for the guys in those vintage 60s design unis that lost all of the time...

I am a homer for the UCLA Bruins, so the fact that Marques Johnson was on the team back then did help. Blowing out his knee early in the season didn't help. It didn't help that Benoit Benjamin was not a very good savior either, and the Lakers beat the snot out of them often. I did pull for them, even as I cheered the Lakers on to more championships. Hey, we SoCal sports fans need to support our local teams, right?

Well, then a funny thing happened on the way to Lakers immortality and more championships. Michael Jordan showed up in Chicago, then Magic Johnson abruptly retires due to a questionable lifestyle of promiscuity. Suddenly the Lakers purple and gold lost a little luster. Hmmm, maybe it was a little more honorable to root for the Clippers.....

Then things got really bad from this Lakers fan's viewpoint-- the drafting of Kobe Bryant. Now, don't get me wrong here--Kobe is a talented player, no doubt. It's the character that I am talking about here. Something just didn't sit well with me watching a pompous ass teenager play the game with grown men and then pouting about not getting credit or glory. I just could not stomach the attitude of a guy who gets championship rings but doesn't appreciate them because he was only the 2nd best player on the court for those teams. I am not a huge Shaq fan, but everyone respected the intimidating talent of the 7-foot center with a massive body and power dunk. Everyone, that is, except for his young teammate. Shaq was clearly one of the most dominating centers in NBA history, but Kobe had the nerve to complain about team offensive philosophy while their team dominated the NBA. I wanted to shout "GROW UP!" every time he stepped on the court or I read an article about him.

The Biggest obstacle of All posted by Robert Karpeles

Now that the Los Angeles Lakers have beaten the Boston Celtics it is clear that the Lakers have a legitimate shot at beating the champs if they meet in the finals this year.

Boston, who has lost two games since their defeat to the the Lakers on Christmas day, have seemed to have a longer hang over than even they could have expected.

Last nights lose to the Portland Trail Blazers and Fridays lose to the lowly Warriors from Golden State might mean that the Celtics lose to the Lakers has had a spill over.

The Lakers victory over the Celtics, on the other hand, has certainly lifted the Lakers spirits and has encouraged them into believing that they are the team to beat in the NBA. 

It was argued by many columnists and NBA analysts that the Lakers win against the Celtics meant more for the Lakers than it did for Boston. While there is no doubting the impact of the win, it could also be looked through a different angle.

The christmas day win was the first time the Lakers played to thier potential for a month. As a result, the Lakers look like a team that only gives it it's all when they want to. A consistently inconsistent trait that may end up hurting them in the long run. 

Prior to the Lakers win over the Celtics, the Lakers gave up 118 points to the Indiana Pacers, 102 to the Philidelphia Sixers, 104 to the Washingotn Wizards, 113 to the Sacramento Kings, 110 to the Phoneix Suns, 114 to the Knicks, 106 to the Orlando Magic, and 38 points in the fourth quarter to the Bucks at home. 

Not exactly championship defense, especially against some of the lesser teams in the league.

Are They Who We Thought They Were? posted by David Trageser

The Celtics finally lost, and although many in the sports world would have you believe that the sky is falling, I for one am not entirely convinced.  Give credit to Kobe and the Lakers, they played hard on Christmas day and earned their win.  They were physical with the Celtics and very aggressive on both ends of the floor, forcing Boston turnovers and making big shots when it counted, but I'm not worried, and I don't believe that the Lakers have redeemed themselves at all for the turd egg they laid in last season's Finals.  Since when does winning one regular season game at home count as a statement game?  How does one victory on National TV even come close to making up for a humiliating 39 point ego-ectomy (to use the basketbawful terminology) of a defeat in basketball's biggest game of the year or the three embarassing losses that preceeded it?

It doesn't, at least not in my book.  And herein, my friends (doing my best McCain), lies the difference between the Celtics and the Lakers.  After the game, the Laker players admitted that they had this game circled on their calenders, that this one game meant more to them than the others.  For this one game, on Christmas day, they were going to come out with all of their energy, enthusiasm and effort in order to show the Celtics that they could beat them, and they did.  Kudos and good for them, but that isn't what championship basketball is all about.

The Celtics, on the other hand, have every game on their calenders circled.  They know that a regular season game, whether it's against Cleveland, LA or Oklahoma City, it means the same thing at the end of the day.  No matter who their opponent is on any given night, the Celtics' goal is to come prepared and to play with energy, enthusiasm and effort.  Committing to defense, unselfishness and sacrifice won it all for the Celtics last year, and they have approached this season in exactly the same way this year as the defending champs.  At the end of the day, the Celtics are a tough, defensive minded team that is determined to win at any cost and against any foe.  It doesn't work every night, sometimes the other team is better or they aren't fully into it (see: Denver and Indianapolis in November), but the Celtics are the same team every single night that they play. 

Lakers Sting Hornets 100-87 posted by Peace Wilson

After struggling against lesser teams to stop a two-game slide, the Lakers looked like the defending Western Conference champs they are in winning handily against last year's and possibly this year's #2 seed, the New Orleans Hornets.

As perennial prime pistol Kobe Bryant noted, the Lakers match up especially well against the Hornets.

Team D was key as it will have to be to defeat upper echelon teams, and especially if they meet their born-again nemesis the Celtics in the Finals -- admittedly quite a was off. Those Celtics are cruisin' along at a monster 27-2, while the Lakers improved their West-leading record to 23-5.

The Lakers got on top early against the Hornets and stayed ahead, weathering a late surge to win handily.

Continued staunch D is all they need, particularly in the wake of a recent knee injury to Jordan Farmar, necessitating an 8-wk. surgery sidelining.

Mr. Consistency Pau Gasol was once again key catalyst behind Kobe.

Lakers 105, Grizzlies 96 posted by Brad Hurt

The Memphis Grizzlies played up to the level of their stiff competition on Monday, but they came up short of an upset as the Los Angeles Lakers held on for a 105-96 win at FedEx Forum.

The night began with a chilly reception for former Grizzly Marc Gasol, who heard boos as he was introduced, although a video highlight tribute during the game’s first timeout evoked a standing ovation.  His return to Memphis also brought out local Laker fans, who wore Pau jerseys and cheered against the hometown Grizzlies.

The much-anticipated post matchup of the Gasol brothers did not disappoint as the two banged against each other and battled all night long.  In the end the elder Pau got the best of his little brother, recording 15 points and seven rebounds to Marc’s eight points and seven rebounds.

The Grizzlies (9-18) came out hot, shooting around 50 percent for most of the game.  They knocked down plenty of perimeter jumpers and battled the Lakers (22-5) on the boards.  Interestingly, Kobe Bryant didn’t really look for his own shot much in the first half, instead opting to try to get his teammates involved.  It seemed like the Lakers were either taking it easy on the Grizzlies or almost overlooking them.

Bryant ended up with probably the quietest 36 points imaginable as the Lakers closed the game with a 17-3 run to spoil the Grizzlies’ upset bid and avoid a third straight loss.  The Grizzlies finally lost their shooting touch down the stretch, managing only an O.J. Mayo 3-pointer in the game’s final three minutes.  Over the final 3:30 they saw a five-point lead disappear.  Even in the final minute, there was plenty of drama left as the score was tied until Bryant’s 3-pointer with 34.8 seconds left put the Lakers ahead to stay 99-96.  The Grizzlies hurt themselves by turning the ball over six times in the fourth quarter.

Family Reunion posted by Brad Hurt

Tonight's game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers marks a homecoming for Lakers forward Pau Gasol, who makes his first return to Memphis since being traded away last February.  It will also be a family reunion of sorts for Pau and his brother, Grizzlies forward Marc, who played together on the Spanish Olympic team in Beijing.  The two Gasols have strikingly different playing styles due to different physical characteristics.  While Pau is taller and quicker than Marc, his brother brings more power and strength to the game.  Marc has provided the physical post presence the Grizzlies haven't had since Bryant Reeves retired.  While his offensive production has been lacking, Marc makes up for it with his defense and intelligent play.

The Lakers enter tonight's game having played in three straight hotly contested games, coming out with losses in their last two.  Those three games were decided by a total of seven points.

As expected, Kobe Bryant leads the Lakers in scoring at 25.8 ppg, but he has a strong supporting cast this season.  As a result, the team is off to an historic start and appears destined to make a return trip to the NBA Finals.  Pau averages 17.5 ppg, Andrew Bynum averages 12.3 and veteran point guard Derek Fisher averages 11.2.  Bynum has been the biggest surprise this season, stepping up to provide a reliable post presence.

With Bynum set up inside and Gasol and Bryant slashing to the basket, interior defense will be the Grizzlies' priority.  Bryant is going to get his points, but the Grizzlies must contain the other two as much as possible.  They must win the second-chance points category and challenge the Lakers on the glass on both ends of the floor.  Most importantly, they must keep their big guys out of foul trouble.

2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers posted by Brett Watson

The Los Angeles Lakers came out of the gates running to start the season, but have struggled of late, and now post a mediocre 18-3 record. After losing 2 of their last six games, skeptics point out that the lack of defense being played by the reigning Western Conference champs is the reason for this stumble. With Boston, Cleveland, and LA all having remarkable starts to the year, it seems as if no other team has a chance to keep up with these three, despite the fact that there are many teams rising this year.

First, here's why the Lakers will be holding the trophy next summer. The Pacific Division is weak. This is the worst Pacific Division in years, thanks in most part to the horrible Sacramento Kings, Don Nelson's reluctance to win, and the Clippers, content with their four wins. The only two teams above .500? The Lakers and the Pheonix Suns, who are six games behind. Pheonix, after the trade yesterday, will now be the most disappointing team in basketball this year. Being a lifelong Warriors fan, I love Jason Richardson, but that will not work out well for them. Shaq and Amare already complaining about getting the ball, the slowdown offense,the loss of their main defensive stopper in Raja Bell, and the big man that seemed to glue the bench together, Boris Diaw. Throw Jason Richardson in the mix, who averages over 16 shots a game, and there's trouble. Not to mention, I haven't heard one good thing a Suns player has said about coach Terry Porter. The Lakers already have already beaten Pheonix twice by an average of nine points and Kobe Bryant only averaging 33 minutes in those two games. If this is the only competition in the Pacific Division, the Lakers can coast to the playoffs, only having to suit up for the Spurs, Mavs, Utah and maybe Denver or a healthy Houston. New Orleans is on the verge of falling apart, and Portland (as much as we all love them) could have a chance at anybody in the West besides the Lakers (as witnessed opening night). When there are less than five teams in a conference that can challenge you or your record, you are in good shape come playoff time. The Lakers play sixteen games against far inferior division opponents, if Kobe and Gasol can rest, Farmar can get more experience during the season, and the bench staying happy logging minutes, this Lakers team should breeze into and through the postseason.

A Long December posted by Keith Grieve

I waited almost 24 hours before writing this entry. I had to wait that long for nausea to stop.

The Milwaukee Bucks are from contenders. It would be a stretch to call them pretenders. In fact, they don't 'tend' to do much of anything, especially play defense.

Which made them the perfect dance partners for the Los Angeles Lakers last night since they don't like to play defense either.

More than that though, was just how utterly painful to watch this game was. It wasn't a matter of who wanted to win. It was more a matter of who stunk up the joint least.

Missed layups, bad passes, and ill advised shots made up the myriad of images flowing through my mind. And that's without thinking about the 38 points they gave up in the fourth quarter.

The best way to describe this game is like watching my two year old daughter color a picture in her coloring book. By the time she's done sure the picture is finished, but no one except her father is going to want to show it off.

Pickin' up what I'm puttin' down here folks?

These Lakers are nothing to jump and shout about at this point. In fact, the brightest part of any kind of silver lining is that it's only December. It may a gut-wrenching month of wondering just what will happen tonight, but this kind of train-wreck attraction isn't exactly what this fan was hoping for.

Something has to make a team come together and want to get better. Phil Jackson hasn't found it yet. Or maybe he has and he's waiting for the players to find it themselves- a strategy that would surprise no one.

Either way, the Lakers are must-see-TV right now for the simple fact that nothing can be taken for granted. Nothing, that is, except a Laker opponent hanging a 30-spot on them in the fourth quarter.

Lakers Are The Best Hockey Team In The NBA posted by Keith Grieve

The Los Angeles Lakers play the best three periods of any team in the league.

Too bad there's four in an NBA game.

I don't know how necessary it is to really explain myself again regarding how the fourth quarter defense- or, rather, lack thereof- is tell-tale sign that any ordering of purple and gold confetti for the Staples Center in June might be premature.

Once again, the stage was set to shut me up. Playing in Washington, a team who to put it nicely has struggled to find it's identity since Carter was in office, this should have been a game where I had to struggle to find something to write about.

But nooooooo, the Lakers comply and let the Wizards hang a 32 spot on them in the final frame.

The most frustrating part? Coach Phil Jackson's remark after the game that apparently the second unit can't handle a fourth quarter on the road.

What about the games at home against Dallas, Sacramento, and the offensive juggernaut that is the Chicago Bulls?

What about all those years of coaching, Phil, that were supposed to give you all this experience and ability to spot these trends before they happen?

Why am I the only one talking about this?

The Lakers almost lost to a 3-13 Wizards team that is already on its second coach of the year. They could have gone to overtime with them if Caron Butler had found another inch and a half to put on his jumper at the buzzer.

Tonight they return home to face the 9-12 Milwaukee Bucks. Is anyone else thinking this is a trap game?

At least they picked up 3 hours of rest on the way home.

How Legitimate Are The Pacers? posted by Cam W.

After a thrilling game-winning tip in by Troy Murphy that gave the Pacers an 118-117 win over the Lakers, Indiana had to travel to Boston the following night for a rematch with the defending NBA champion Celtics. Did they have enough in the tank to defeat Boston again? In a word, no. 

It was evident, apart from perhaps Granger and Ford, that the Pacers were tired and Boston was hungry for revenge in front of a home crowd. The Celtics picked them apart winning 114-96. There was a glimmer of brilliance as Indiana found themselves down 24 and cut that lead to 8. However, Boston being rested and just flat out savvier down the stretch put the Pacers 7-11 in the standings. 

Now tonight the Pacers go up against the Cavaliers, who beat them by 4 in their first match-up. They'll be in Cleveland and you have to wonder what they have in terms of energy. O'Brien needs to start playing his bench more to save his starters, but it is hard when it seems every game the Pacers are in is a tight one. 

I think once their schedule eases up on their back-to-back games against playoff contenders (they lead the league in back-to-backs), and Dunleavy returns to the lineup, they'll be a threat and a legitimate playoff contender.

Lakers extend home win streak to 15 (AP)

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Bryant scores 40 as Lakers beat Jazz (AP)

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Kobe's 31 help Lakers roll past Warriors (AP)

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Lakers-Celtics draws high 5.3 TV rating (AP)

The Christmas Day game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics was the highest rated regular-season NBA game in four years. The rematch of last season's NBA finals earned a 5.3 fast national rating on ABC, the network said. The rating for the Lakers' 92-83 victory, which snapped Boston's 19-game winning streak, was 51 percent higher than the 3.5 mark for last year's late Christmas game... [read full article]

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Lakers snap Celtics' 19-game win streak (AP)

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